John Blackwood McEwen - String Quartets Vol. 1 (Chilingirian Quartet)

Information

Composer: John Blackwood McEwen

• (01) String Quartet No. 16 in G major 'Quartette provençale'
• (04) String Quartet No. 7 in E flat major 'Threnody'
• (08) String Quartet No. 4 in C minor
• (12) 'Fantasia', String Quartet No. 17 in C sharp minor

Chilingirian Quartet
Levon Chilingirian, violin
Charles Sewart, violin
Asdis Valdimarsdottir, viola
Philip de Groote, cello

Date: 2002
Label: Chandos
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%209926

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Review

ARTISTIC QUALITY: 8 / SOUND QUALITY: 8

Chandos just loves John Blackwood McEwen: following its previous releases of the not-often-heard composer’s violin sonatas and piano works, the label has brought in the noted Chilingirian Quartet to record his string quartets. (The quartets gathered here are all premiere recordings.) Chandos’ commitment is no small feat, considering that McEwen (1868-1948) wrote 19 such works (although by his own count there are only 17 worth hearing, the first two being relics from his early student days). With such an abundance, it’s certain that the Chilingirians’ recording schedule will be booked up for a while to come–but will their output be paced by public interest in these pieces?

The reason to put forward such a question is that the four quartets on Volume 1 are so strange. Intriguing, yes; and often lovely and charming, too. But certainly strange, with their eccentric mix of Scottish folksiness, of-the-times English pastoralism (McEwen headed the Royal Academy of Music in London for 12 years), birdsong à la Messiaen, Debussy-tinged chromaticism, and the list goes on. Taken together, these quartets present themselves more as a collage of influences than the work of a composer sure of his vision or artistic identity.

But in the case of two quartets, subtitles give clear indications of the general flavor. No. 16 from 1936, titled “Quartette Provençale”, is a love-smitten touristic ode to the charms of southern France, all sunshine and gentle-tempered winds. The emotional centerpiece of 1916’s Quartet No. 7 “Threnody” is the quotation of a 1513 song (“The Flowers o’ the Forest”) commemorating the Battle of Flodden that here gives voice to the pain of World War I. The earliest work on the disc, 1905’s Quartet No. 4, is (perhaps counterintuitively) the most overtly “modern” of the bunch, an abstract work that still carries hints of Scottish laments and dances. On the other end of the chronological spectrum is McEwen’s last such work, 1947’s melancholy Fantasia for String Quartet No. 17.

Regardless of the uneven nature of McEwen’s work, the Chilingirian Quartet gives these pieces its full measure of attention, with a richly burnished tone that suits the Scotsman quite well–and perhaps even makes his music sound more substantial than it may actually be. The sound is drier than ideal, but that’s no great problem. Volume 1 is definitely worth seeking out, even if just to sate your curiosity.

-- ClassicsToday

More reviews:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classRev/2002/Jun02/McEwenStringQuartet.htm
https://www.amazon.co.uk/McEwen-String-Quartets-Vol-1/dp/B0000669KU

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John Blackwood McEwen (13 April 1868 – 14 June 1948) was a Scottish classical composer and educator. McEwen was born in Hawick and studied at the Glasgow University and the Royal Academy of Music. He was professor of harmony and composition at the Royal Academy of Music, London, from 1898 to 1924, and principal from 1924 to 1936. Among his students were William Alwyn, Dorothy Howell and Priaulx Rainier. McEwen's music achieved little public recognition, partly because he rarely sought it. Despite that, he nevertheless did much to further the cause of other British composers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Blackwood_McEwen

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Chilingirian Quartet, formed in 1971, is one of the best-known string quartets based in Britain, with numerous recordings over a three-decade career. Its founder is violinist Levon Chilingirian, who is a professor of violin on the faculty of the Royal College and also performs as a soloist. Other members are Charles Sewart, Asdis Valdimarsdottir, and Philip de Groote. The quartet began attracting attention soon after its founding in 1971 and appeared on the BBC early on. It has become one of the best-known quartets around the world, traveling to all six inhabited continents and having played in more than 30 countries.
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/chilingirian-quartet-mn0002173739/biography

http://www.chilingirianquartet.co.uk/

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